session which topics included state of the economy, housing benefits for veterans and a proposed tax increase on beer and alcohol. this is 35 minutes. dispersed so they can go to the projects so desperately needed. >> order. questions to the prime minister. >> number one, mr. speaker. >> thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, this morning i had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, and in addition to my duties in the cells i shall have further such meetings later today. >> thank you, mr. speaker. is it right that a mother and my contingency may not -- confirmed by his minister, her son serving in her majesty's armed forces -- [inaudible] >> the reforms to housing benefit that we're putting in place, and i'm happy to look at the case of the honorable lady says -- [shouting] >> but they have a very clear principle out of their hard. there are many people who don't have housing benefit, who cannot afford extra bedrooms, and we have to get control of housing benefits. we are now spending as the country 23 billion pounds on housing benefits and we have to get that budget under co